Gate of the pipe-line of a pneumatic conveyer used for transporting containers

ABSTRACT

A gate comprising a body (1) hermetically connected to inlet and outlet branch pipes (2,3) that are arranged coaxially relative to each other and connected to the pipe-line of the pneumatic conveyer. The body (1) accommodates a branch pipe (4) having a cross-section corresponding to the cross-sections of the inlet (2) and outlet (3) branch pipe and kinematically connected to a drive (5) turning it. Rigidly secured to the outer wall of the branch pipe (4) disposed in the body (1) is a damper (6) used to overlap one of the branch pipes (2) connected to the body (1). The damper (6) mounts a ring-like member (7) made from a resilient material. The shape of the member (7) corresponds to the cross-section of the inlet branch pipe (2) to be overlapped. The branch pipe (4) is mounted in the body (1) so that it can swing to a certain extent in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the damper (6) and relative to an axis (8) passing below the longitudinal axis (9) of the inlet (2) and outlet (3) branch pipes. Provision is made for a catch (14) of the position of the branch pipe (4) the catch (14) being actuated by the drive (5) turning the branch pipe.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to pneumatic conveyers of containers and,more particularly, to gates of the pipe-lines of the conveyers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Known in the art is a gate of the pipe-line of a pneumatic conveyer ofcontainers, comprising a body hermetically connected with inlet andoutlet branch pipes that are arranged coaxially. The branch pipes areconnected to the pipe-line of the pneumatic conveyer. The bodyaccomodates one more branch pipe whose cross-section corresponds tothose of the inlet and outlet branch pipes. This branch pipe iskinematically connected with a drive that positions it coaxiallyrelative to the inlet and outlet branch pipes in the case whencontainers go through the gate in transit. The branch pipe disposed inthe body carries a flat damper hingedly coupled with a bracket rigidlysecured on the branch pipe. The branch pipe disposed in the body iskinematically connected with the drive via a shaft positionedperpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the branch pipe and rigidlyconnected therewith. (c.f. for example, USSR Inventor's Certificate No.500,144, Cl. B 65 53/56, of 1977, published in Bulletin "Discoveries,Inventions, Industrial Designs and Trade Marks," v. 3, 1976).

The known gate does not provide for a tight adherence of the damaper toone of the branch pipes when the latter is overlapped, as a result ofwhich some compressed air may leak out and consequently, some power bewasted.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention had as its task provision of such a gate of thepipe-line of a pneumatic conveyer of containers, in which the damper andthe branch pipe would be made so as to provide for a tight and reliablehermetic sealing of one of the (inlet or outlet) branch pipes when it isoverlapped.

The above task is accomplished by that in a gate for the pipe-line of apneumatic conveyer of containers, comprising a body hermeticallyconnected to inlet and outlet branch pipes which are arranged coaxiallyand are connected to the pipe-line of the pneumatic conveyer, whichaccomodates a branch pipe of a cross-section corresponding to those ofthe inlet and outlet branch pipes, said branch pipe being kinematicallyconnected to a turning drive to be connected to the inlet and outletbranch pipes and carrying a damper for overlapping one of the branchpipes connected to the body, according to the invention, the damper foroverlapping one of the branch pipes is rigidly secured to the outer wallof the branch pipe disposed in the body and has a sealing member whichis made from a resilient material and whose shape corresponds to thecross-section of the branch pipe being overlapped, the branch pipe beingdisposed in the body so that the damper can swing to a certain extentrelative to an axis disposed in a plane parallel to the plane of thedamper and passing below the longitudinal axis of the inlet and outletbranch pipes, and being provided with a catch of the position of thebranch pipe when one of the branch pipes is overlapped, said catch beingactuated by the turning drive.

It is expedient to make one of its walls serve as the damper in case thebranch pipe is of a rectangular cross-section.

While being relatively simple in its design, the gate of the pipe-lineof the pneumatic conveyer of containers, built in accordance with thepresent invention, provides for a reliable hermetic sealing of one ofthe branch pipes and for a decrease in the wear of the ring-like sealingmember when the damper is being brought away from the branch pipe due tothe fact that the branch pipe is so mounted in the body that it canswing therein.

SUMMARY OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The following description of a specific embodiment of the presentinvention is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a gate for the pipe-line of the pneumatic conveyer ofcontainers, according to the invention, a side view;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the arrow A in FIG. 1, with partialextractions/an enlarged view/;

FIG. 3 is position 1 in FIG. 1 in the case of coaxial disposition of allthe branch pipes/an enlarged view/.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING THE INVENTION INTO EFFECT

A gate comprises a body 1 (FIG. 1) having inlet 2 and outlet 3 branchpipes which are arranged coaxially and are connected to the pipe-line(not shown) of the pneumatic conveyer. The body 1 accomodates a branchpipe 4 having a shape and sizes of its cross-section identical to theshape and sizes of the cross-section of the branch pipes 2 and 3 toprovide for a transit passage of containers through the gate when it ispositioned coaxially relative to the branch pipes 2 and 3. The endportions of the branch pipe 4 are made rounded along a radius, a recess2a is made in the branch pipe 2 at its end portion facing the pipebranch 4, the shape of the recess 2a corresponding to the shape of therounded end portion of the branch pipe 4, and the end portion of thebranch pipe 3 is of a shape that mates the shape of the end portion ofthe branch pipe 4. The branch pipe 4 is kinematically coupled with adrive 5 of turning, which in the embodiment under description isessentially a power cylinder bearing the same position 5 and mounted onthe branch pipe 2. As is shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment thebranch pipe 4 is of a rectangular cross-section corresponding to theshape of the cross-sections of the branch pipes 2 and 3. One of thewalls of the branch pipe 4 and, namely, the wall 6 serves as a damperoverlapping the inlet branch pipe 2 and having the same position 6.

To provide for a more hermetic sealing of the branch pipe 2, the damper6 has a ring-like sealing member 7 which is secured thereto and is madefrom a resilient material. The shape of the member corresponds to theshape of the cross-section of the branch pipe 2 being overlapped.

In order to decrease during operation the wear of the member 7, thebranch pipe 4 is mounted in the body 1 so that it can swing in a planeperpendicular to the plane of the damper relative to coaxial axles 8arranged below the geometrical longitudinal axis 9 of the branch pipes 2and 3. The axles 8 are secured on brackets 10 fixed in the body 1symmetrically to the longitudinal geometrical axis 9. Axles II that arehingedly coupled with the axles 8 by means of intermediate links 12 andare arranged coaxially relative to one another are secured to the wallsof the branch pipe 4, that are adjacent to its wall (damper) 6 (FIG. 2).

In order to limit the angle of swinging of the branch pipe 4 when thegate is brought into the position allowing for transit passage ofcontainers (not shown) in the direction from the branch pipe 2 (to theright in the drawing), the brackets 10 have stops 13 secured thereon.

Each bracket 10 mounts a catch 14 of the position of the branch pipewhen the inlet branch pipe 2 is overlapped. The catch 14 comprises alever 15 mounted on an axle 16 secured on the bracket 10. One arm of thelever 15 has a hook 17 which engages a hook 18 provided on theintermediate link 12. The other arm of the lever 15 is spring-loadedrelative to the body 1 with the aid of a spring 19 (FIG. 3) mounted on arod 20 secured to the bracket 10. Each bracket 10 mounts a stop 21carrying a roller 22, and the branch pipe 4 has a plate 23 securedthereon and having the shape of a segment, the cylindrical and flatsurfaces of the segment interacting with the roller 22.

The kinematic connection of the branch pipe 4 with the drive 5 comprisesan axle 24 secured on the branch pipe 4 and having a tie 25 which ismounted thereon and can adjust the length by means of the "screw 26-nut27" couple. The tie 25 is connected by means of a joint 28 with a tie 29which by its other end portion is rigidly coupled with a shaft 30mounted in bearings 31 (FIG. 2) on brackets 32 mounted on the body 1.

The shaft 30 is rigidly connected with a crank 33 (FIG. 3) which ishingedly connected to a rod 34 (FIG. 2) of the power cylinder 5.

Secured to the wall 6 of the branch pipe 4, serving as a damper, andinside the member 7 is a profiled plate 35 (FIG. 3) which, with thebranch pipe 2 overlapped, enters the latter and serves as a bumper forthe containers coming to the gate. Secured on the opposite wall of thebranch pipe 4 is a profiled plate 36 serving as a bumper.

Secured to the wall 6 to limit deformation of the member 7 is aring-like stop 37 which is of a shape corresponding to that of themember 7.

With the gate closed, the end portion of the tie 29 interacts with thespring-loaded arm of the lever 15, for which purpose mating bevels 38and 39 are made at its end portion and the end portion of the tie 29.

The gate according to the present invention functions as follows.

With the gate in the closed position, as is shown in FIG. 1, the damper6 adjoins the end portion of the branch pipe 2, whereby reliablehermetic sealing of the branch pipe 2 is provided owing to deformationof the member 7, the links 12 occupy the extreme left (according to thedrawing) position fixed by the catches 14, and the hook 17 of the lever15 of each catch 14 is engaged with the hook 18 of each intermediatelink 12.

At the same time, the bevel 38 of the tie 29 contacts the bevel 39 ofthe spring-loaded arm of the lever 15, the stop 40 (FIG. 3) of thebranch pipe 4 contacts the stop 21 on the bracket 10, and the plate 23of the branch pipe 4 contacts by its surface the roller 22 on the stop21.

In the afore-described closed position of the gate the rod 34 of thecylinder 5 is extended to the right (according to the drawing), and thecrank 33 is also turned into the extreme right (according to thedrawing) position.

When it is necessary to unseal the gate and to bring it to the positionproviding for transit passage of containers therethrough, the rod 34 ofthe cylinder 5 is moved to the left (according to the drawing), wherebythe crank 33 and, consequently, the shaft 30 rigidly connected therewithturn in the bearing counter-clockwise (according to the drawing).

Thereby, the ties 29 rigidly connected with the shaft 30 also turncounter-clockwise and with their bevels 38 press the bevels 39 of thespring-loaded arm of the lever 15, whereby the springs 19 arecompressed, the levers 15 turn on the axles 16 and their hooks 17disengage the hooks 18 of the intermediate link 12. The gate isunlocked, with the axles of the joints 28 sliding in the guide slots 41made in the ties 25 during the unlocking. From the moment the hooks 17and 18 are mutually disengaged the branch pipe 4 and the axles II on theintermediate links 12 swing relative to the axles 8 on the brackets 10under the action of the force transmitted from the cylinder 5 via theties 25 and 29 to the axles 24 secured on the branch pipe 4 to the rightup to the stops 13. Thereby, the branch pipe 4 is locked relative to thelinks 12 due to the fact that, one one hand, the stops 40 of the branchpipe 4 slide along the stationary stops 21 on the brackets 10 and, onthe hand, the plates 23 roll with their flat surfaces over the rollers22. As a result, the branch pipe 4 and, consequently, the damper 5 withthe sealing member 7 are brought away from the branch pipe 2 and movepractically translationally in a direction perpendicular to the hermeticsealing plane.

This movement of the damper during unsealing provides for a minimal wearof the sealing member 7.

On having reached the stops 13, the links 12 discontinue their movement,and the plates 23 come out from under the rollers 22 thereby releasingthe axles II and, consequently the branch pipe 4. The next moment thereleased branch pipe 4 starts turning clockwise relative to the links 12under the action of the force of the drive 5. The ties 25 get alignedwith the ties 29, the branch pipe turns through 90° and occupies theposition when containers can go freely through the gate.

To bring the gate into the position in which the branch pipe 2 isoverlapped, the same operations are to be performed in the reverseorder.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

It is most expedient to mount the gate of the pipe-line, built inaccordance with the present invention in pipe-lines which are of arelatively small diameter and are used for transporting, for examplebooks within big libraries.

The gates can be also used in other pneumatic conveyers used as means oftransportation within plants.

We claim:
 1. A gate of a pipe-line of a pneumatic conveyer of containers, comprising a body hermetically connected with inlet and outlet branch pipes arranged coaxially relative to each other and connected to the pipe-line of the pneumatic conveyer, which pipe-line accomodates a branch pipe of a cross-section corresponding to the cross-sections of the inlet and outlet branch pipes, is kinematically connected to a turn drive to be connected to the inlet and outlet branch pipes, and carries a flat damper to overlap one of the branch pipes connected to the body, the improvement comprising the damper (6) used for overlapping one of the branch pipes (2) is rigidly secured to the outer wall of the branch pipe (4) disposed in the body (1) and has a ring-like sealing member (7) which is made from a resilient material and whose shape corresponds to the cross-section of the branch pipe (2) to be overlapped, the branch pipe (4) being mounted in the body (1) so that it can swing to a certain extent in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the damper (6) and relative to an axis (8) passing below the longitudinal axis (9) of the inlet (2) and outlet (3) branch pipes, and being provided with a catch (14) of the position of the branch pipe (4) when one of the branch pipes is overlapped, said catch being actuated by the drive (5) turning the branch pipe (4).
 2. A gate according to claim 1, characterized in that one of its walls serves as the damper (6) in case the branch pipe (2, 3) is of a rectangular cross-section. 